Kazusa Takashima
Kazusa Takashima (高嶋 上総 Takashima Kazusa, born October 23 in Hokkaido) is a Japanese manga artist, famous for her yaoi manga. After being a doujinshi artist from 1999–2000, she became an official manga artist in 2001 with her series Harlem Beat wa Yoake Made being serialized in Monthly Asuka. It was later published in 2002 by Kadokawa.[1] In addition to this, she has also illustrated a number of light novels.
Biography
Born in Hokkaido on October 23, She began her career in 1999 as a Houshin Engi doujinshi artist as well as doing fanart from popular series like Hikaru no Go, Shaman King and Yami no Matsuei. Her works were predominantly BL-related.
Finally she got her break when her first original series, Harlem Beat wa Yoake Made was serialized in Kadokawa's Monthly Asuka. After a well received debut, the company decided to publish the series into an actual volume. After that, she went on to make another of her well-known series: Last Client which was serialized in Biblos's BexBoy Magazine in 2002. In that same year she got Wild Rock published by Biblos (it went straight to manga form; not serialized). Since then she has published roughly nine distinctive titles through various publishing companies and has been the illustrator of a number of light novels by various authors including Gou Shiira, Jinko Kitazawa and Kana Sarasa.
She filed a lawsuit against Kayono in 2004. The lawsuit was founded on Takashima's belief that Kayono had directly traced over her work Wild Rock, and used it for her own manga.[2] The judge threw out the case (resulting in Takashima losing). Takashima decided to go on hiatus, leaving all of her series unfinished. She resumed work in 2007 with the fourth installment of Harlem Beat wa Yoake Made. Since then, she has finished the series, Wild Rock and Man's Best Friend have been reprinted, and she did a pinup of Chris (from her series Last Client, which had been left on hiatus) in Biblos's GOLD magazine. She also changed websites.
Lately Takashima has been more active on her blog,[3] and in her December 10 entry, stated that she "took a break" that she felt was necessary and that she "plans to work hard" in the new year.[4]
Works
- Harlem Beat wa Yoake Made (2001)
- Last Client (2002)
- Wild Rock (2002)
- Dragon X Boy (2003)
- Kingyo Hime (2003)
- Takuhai Sentai: Hakobunja (2003)
- Private Magician (2003)
- Inu mo Arukeba: Fallin' Love (2004)
- Mata Natsu ga Kita & Pinpoint Lovers (2004)